Ironman Lake Tahoe 9/22/2013

On September 22, 2013 I completed Ironman Lake Tahoe and this is my race recap.

It began on Saturday when the storm moved in.  Sitting by the fire in a cabin I was staying with the Blain family & friends including Eric, Steve, Brent, Justin and our spouses.   Looking outside we were simply shocked at the thought of racing in these extremely cold, wet, windy conditions.  Our what if thoughts were the topic of conversation. "Do you think they will do something due to the weather?  Nope, checked the website and they are staying the course for race day.   Weather is forecasted to have the storm pass by midnight but leave us starting at 32 degrees freezing race morning.  Lets do this boys."  We gathered our gear, left the warm cozy cabin and off to race check in we went.

First stop was T2 located at the base of Squaw Valley village.  The enormous tent was weathering the storm.  This massive event tent is like a circus.  The crew comes to town and piles massive steaks in the concrete to pitch the tent to put on the show.  Inside these tents, Ironman stories are told amongst people coming together for transitions, pre race banquets, winner banquets, voluteer banquets and IM gear.  Its here we break bread with like minded people we don't even know over the many inspirational stories shared during the banquet.  Its here we step into our shoes one foot at a time the same as anyone else competing.  Its here we take a little something IM branded home to recall the experience.  Events that do not host the big tent simply do not put on the same caliber show as the Ironman.

Base of Squaw

IM Banquet

Second stop was T1 to drop off the bikes.  The lake had swells.  The wind was blowing.  The rain was coming down.  Bikes were blown off the rack.  I inquired about leaving your bike outside overnight and was advised to cover the seat and handlebars and re-lube the chain in the morning.  Now my bike is used, well warn and I'll ride it and race it to the ground until I deserve a new one.  Now I felt sorry for those leaving this years new model bikes out in conditions like this.

The T1 storm

Leaving our bikes out in the elements at T1

Race day starts early and last nights storm leaves snow capped peaks.  I put my wetsuit on before I left the cabin to avoid having to change outside where the freezing 32 degree air tends to bite bare skin.  I unwrapped my bike and the plastic covering was frozen.  I wore a pair of wool socks to break the icy layer of sand while waiting for the gun to go off.  I recall from the pre-race swim on Friday that the coldest part would be the beach & shallow water and once you go deep water it will feel comfortable.  The swim was amazing!  The epic blue lake water lives up to all Tahoe blue expectations.  I was easily able to see underwater to locate feet to draft and bouy ropes to navigate.  I had a PR swim at 1 hr 12 min.  

Snow capped peaks on the bike leg

Swim Start

Swim Finish

Swim course tracked from my Garmin

Pre Race Swim

T1 was brutal.  Running up the beach and on the concrete my toes froze and remained numb the entire day.  I secured a chair in the small transition tent to completely change into dry clothes.  As more people finished, the tent filled with overcrowded isles.  There are moments in time when time slows down in slow motion and this was one of them.  The shock of the cold swim transitioning to a ride in freezing 32 degree weather will be etched in my memory.

The first loop, 2 hours 46 min.  In my mind I related this course to the Wildflower bike course as my bogie and it proved to be a very similar bike leg.  A costly error was made on my part in completing the first loop without taking in enough fluid.  I happened to check in my bike overnight with my bottles in their cage and consequentially the caps froze solid.  I swapped them out to aid station water bottles that fell through my cages.  I eventually grabbed perform which fit in my cage but did not agree with my pallet and this in combination with no desire to drink in the cold lead to dehydration after that first loop.

The second loop, 3 hours 7 min.  Dehydration did not set in until that second set of climbs.  My most memorable moment of the day was running into James Sullivan, a close friend of my wife's from high school.  I had heard about how much in common I have with James and how if he lived in the area we would be riding partners because we are very alike.  So we get introduced to each other on the Brockway climb.  He says I was breezing past him but thats when my racing came to a halt as I pulled over and puked at the top.  At this point, towing the line against the elements was where the line was drawn, I had crossed it and the rest of the day went from racing into survival mode.  During that descent, I had hick ups, I was shaking and everyone seemed to fly by.  At the bottom of the descent, someone had fallen and there was an ambulance attending to the cyclist but he was standing with a dark spot on the pavement which I hoped was water and not blood.  I finished the bike leg just under seven hours and let go of my low 6 hour goal as I paced home.  

In T2, I had a Vespa and headed out in a zombie march to complete.  Witnessing everyone else changing into their tri kits along with the sun being out I mistakenly followed suit.  The 8 mile march out was grim as I sipped water at each aid station in an attempt to recover from dehydration but at altitude I've been told you don't come back.  On the way out my friend Terrisa Loverto spanked me as I got chicked by a freakin awesome friend who did not flinch off her pace in the face of these brutal elements!  She actually finished 6th pace in her age group, only four slots away from Kona at her first IM!  Mad props for sure.  On the out and back the temperature started to drop and as it did my body started to shake.  I got so cold that I was no longer able to open the lid on my water bottle to refill it with water to continue my immediate concern in the moment to keep sipping.  I pitifully approached an aid station volunteer and asked to unscrew the cap for me please in slurred speech.  Things were looking grim but I continued.  I made it back to the village about 16 miles and there I meet my wife.  I grabbed a fleece shirt and marched on.  I took a salt tab and starting sipping chicken broth and given the fleece I came back to my senses.  Regaining focus with hydration and warmth I re-asseded plan B and decided to locate my friend Brent Blain behind me on the course to pace him in for his first IM.  I am familiar with the grim state of ultra running and know the best thing in the world is a pacer at this point.  So on the out and back I told Brent I'd wait for him and slowed my pace eventually stopping to join up.  We ran together in the dark and given our comradery other runners drew close.  The more headlamps the better to avoid the road hazards, join in on disco at the aid stations and live out the rest of today's story together.  We finished the day at 14 hours, it was Amazing!  I have 3 of the most amazing memories of the day, at the pinnacle of towing the line, at the spiral of hitting the wall and at the finish I had a friend by my side and we battled the elements together that day playing like a kid in Lake Tahoe!

Before the temp drop

Got chicked!  

Finishers

Survived the elements

Grueling day!